Gaffer upbeat

Carl Dickinson was brought back into the side for Saturday’s game against Walsall and the manager says the result proved his selection to be the right one.

He felt Vale deserved the three points to complete a rare double over the Saddlers and added that vale will be targeting fifteen points from their final five games of the season.

The Vale boss said: “When you win a game of football your selection is justified, when you lose it people can question it and certainly do, but I thought Dickinson slotted in superbly at left side centre back and we defended okay.

“Sam Johnson had a couple of shots that were straight at him and you would expect him to make those saves, but even so, we defended reasonably well against a good attacking side.

“In the first half I thought we dominated the midfield area and the four across midfield really won that battle, but when we got into the final third, could we deliver a cross of any real quality?

“The answer to that in the first half was possibly no, so we needed to make sure we passed a little bit quicker, got the ball wide and delivered better balls into the box, and that was the message at half time.

“We won a debatable penalty. I have had a look at it and I think it is a penalty – anywhere else on the pitch it is a foul so as it is in the box it is a penalty.

“I am pleased that we share the goals around, it is not all about Tom Pope. Tom has been brought down for the penalty and as for Jennison, he has ten goals.

“I don’t care where the goals are coming from, I am sure there are few penalties scattered in there, but he has performed reasonably well and I am pleased that he managed to tuck away the penalty.”

Vale have now won four out of their last five home games and the manager was quick to point out, the club have one of the best home records in League One.

reasonable record. He said: “People said there is an apathy about the place, we are not selling season tickets and it has been because of our performances, well I can’t see that at home, where the majority of our fans come we have got

“We are up in the top six in terms of how many wins we have had, so I am a bit mystified by that comment, but it is always pleasing to win at your home ground because that’s where the majority of your fans see you.”

“We are now targeting fifteen points from our final five games. The message to the players is, let’s finish the season well and let’s try and win as many games as we possibly can and we will be trying our best to do so.

“We have got a difficult game against a side that is fighting at the other end of the table in Notts County next Saturday, but we want to go there nice and positive and try and win the game.”